Top film and TV locations in Glasgow

Glasgow is often used as a film set: Halle Berry filmed Cloud Atlas (2012) in the city, which was substituting San Francisco. The Brad Pitt film World War Z was shot here, as were scenes for 2016’s Florence Foster Jenkins (doubling up as 1940s’ streets of New York City) and Trainspotting.

The annual Glasgow Film Festival features new local and international film from all genres, art-house experimentation and well-loved classics and cult gems. Screenings are alongside filmmaker guest appearances, interactive workshops and discussion panels.

Time-hopping historical adventure TV series Outlander was shot mainly around the town of Cumbernauld, a 20-minute drive from Glasgow. Scenes were also shot extensively at nearby Loch Rannoch, which offers good fishing and walking for visitors, and George Square in Glasgow was also used.

Film stars connected to Glasgow include X-Men actor James McAvoy who was brought up in Drumchapel, near Glasgow, and Kelly MacDonald, who is a fan of the bar-restaurant Ubiquitous Chip – she was a waitress there before being cast in Trainspotting.

The Glasgow Film Theatre sets the scene for a stylish night out, housed in a beautiful art deco building. The movie choices are art house and independent, with late-night screenings, too.

There are lots of famous film locations within easy reach of Glasgow, such as Glen Coe (Skyfall; Braveheart; Under the Skin), Blairquhan Castle in Ayrshire (The Queen), and Inveraray Castle (Downton Abbey).